Bhubaneswar: In a significant step to boost air connectivity between Odisha and Jharkhand, Air India Express has launched a new transit flight connecting Ranchi and Bhubaneswar.
The service, which commenced on Monday following approval by the Bisra Munda Airport authorities in Ranchi, is part of a wider plan to connect the Jnarkhand capital with five major cities in the east, south, and northeast.
Officials said the Bhubaneswar-bound flight will operate via Mumbai, while services to Guwahati, Visakhapatnam, Thiruvananthapuram, and Indore are also in the pipeline.
Speaking on the new flight services, Birsa Munda Airport Director R R Mourya said the aim is to provide passengers with seamless travel options without the hassle of changing flights at transit points.
Passengers boarding from Ranchi can now reach Bhubaneswar in a single flight which will reduce travel time significantly, he said.
Introduction of the new flight service has been welcomed by air travellers in Odisha. The enhanced air connectivity is set to boost tourism and business travel between the two state capitals.
Different trade and industry associations have underlined the need to further expand services, especially by introducing direct flights to destinations in the northeast, Jaipur, Hyderabad, and Raipur. Tour and travel operators have also sought steps to link Bagdogra to ensure smooth and convenient tourist movement to Darjeeling, Sikkim, and other hill stations.
The new Ranchi-Bhubaneswar flight is seen as a major step to boost air infrastructure at a time when Odisha’s aviation sector is set for expansion amid plans for a new terminal at Bhubaneswar Airport and the upcoming Puri Jagannath Airport.